On Being Brought from Africa to America

• first African American to publish a book of poetry

• owned by John Wheatley and was the personal assistant of Susannah, his wife

• Wheatleys tutored her in literature, Latin, and Greek

• she published her first poem in 1767 at the age of 13

• she was given her freedom in 1774 when Susannah died

• Wheatley's first and only book of poems

• publish in 1773

• to prove she was the author, 17 (white) men had to sign assertions

• she was the first African American, the first slave, and the third American woman to publish a book of poetry

• ​Poetry develops a theme (or multiple themes) in the text

• Is more condensed and suggestive than prose (meaning, you have often have to make more inferences)

• Uses a variety of sound devices to create voice, add emphasis, and convey meaning

• ​Speaker - the voice that “talks” to the reader.  Sometimes may be identified with the poet, but not always!

• Persona - a fictional character adopted by the poet as the speaker.

​Sound devices - devices like rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, etc. 

Voice - the unique style of the author or speaker 

Rhyme - occurrence of similar or identical sounds at the end of two or more words

Internal rhyme - use of rhyming words within a single line of poetry

End rhyme - use of rhyming words at the ends of two or more lines of poetry

• use of rhyme and rhythm

• alliteration

• word choice (pay attention to connotations)

• voice

’Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,

Taught my benighted soul to understand

That there’s a God, that there’s a Saviour too:

Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.

Some view our sable race with scornful eye,

“Their colour is a diabolic die.”

Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,

May be refin’d, and join th’ angelic train.

’Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,

Taught my benighted soul to understand

That there’s a God, that there’s a Saviour too:

Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.

Some view our sable race with scornful eye,

“Their colour is a diabolic die.”

Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,

May be refin’d, and join th’ angelic train.

'Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,

Taught my benighted soul to understand

That there's a God, that there's a Savior too:

Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.

Some view our sable race with scornful eye,

"Their colour is a diabolic die."

Remember, Christians, Negroes, black as Cain,

May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train.